


Nightmare

by WahlBuilder



Series: Bureau stories [2]
Category: The Technomancer (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Canon, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-28
Updated: 2019-11-28
Packaged: 2021-02-18 14:49:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21596158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WahlBuilder/pseuds/WahlBuilder
Summary: Some memories of Jeff's early days in his new position are nightmares.Viktor had been absent, but when he returned, he wasn't alright.
Relationships: Jeffrey Hunter & Original Character, Jeffrey Hunter & Viktor Watcher, Viktor Watcher & Original Character
Series: Bureau stories [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1556410
Kudos: 3





	Nightmare

Jeff has a lot of memories of his training. Some are bizzare, others are funny. Some, he keeps close to his chest like a treasure. Some are terrifying. Not all of them are connected to training directly.

He’s witnessed Viktor being suicidal, early on, and it stands out in his memory too sharply, like a living nightmare.

Viktor has been absent, away on a mission, and Henry and Julita are drilling Jeff in his stead. But Jeff can feel Henry’s heart is not in it.

Jeff has been here long enough to have already witnessed some of the very dark aspects of their job.

It’s late, and he goes to Henry with the intention to pester them about the Director’s return again. He knows Henry doesn’t know when Viktor is going to return; such is the nature of the job here. It’s just an excuse to hang out with Henry. (Jeff wouldn’t admit aloud that he misses Viktor, that the HQ feels... strange without him.)

He nearly runs into Henry. They look at him but don’t seem to notice him for a moment, very pale, their hair fallen out of a braid. They grab his arm and tug. “Come with me. Quick.”

They practically drag Jeff after themself, and he braces himself for everything: someone’s shot and bleeding out, there’s been a sudden attack of the Vory, or someone has died (please, not Viktor, not—)

What he isn’t prepared for, is being pulled into the colonel’s office to the sight of the colonel sitting in his armchair, legs on the desk and crossed at the ankles. He’s dressed strangely, in pressed pants as though he’s right from a fancy party — there’s even a blazer on the floor, like half of a corpse. And Viktor’s suspenders are off his shoulders, and his shirt is rumpled badly and stained with something like wine ( _not_ blood, no, no). The left sleeve of his shirt is rolled up.

He’s holding his forearm to the light, a contemplative expression on his face, too exaggerated. He drags a thumb down a long snaking black line on the underside of his forearm — and there’s a small switchblade in his right hand.

This is so _unreal_.

Henry is shaking by Jeff’s side, gripping his arm painfully — and Jeff realises they are scared.

“Viktor,” they say, and their voice trembles a little, too. “Don’t do it.”

The colonel doesn’t turn to them, just tilts his bared forearm just so. “Why not?”

“You know what happens. They’ll put you under watch.” Henry makes a small step — the distance seems endless to Jeff.

Both of them stop, frozen in place when Viktor looks at them. His face still carries that grotesquely exaggerated contemplation — but his eyes are all wrong. Something dark and terrible in them, something... angry. “They won’t do it if they don’t get here fast enough.”

Jeff wants to scream. How can they do it, talking about this like... Like it’s nothing? They should be at Viktor’s side, wrestling the blade out of his hand...

(Or maybe they should leave. Stand by the doors like guarding dogs — it wouldn’t take long, Viktor’s hand is sure and he knows where to cut. Not the first time, after all, obviously.)

Henry grips Jeff’s hand even tighter. There will be bruises.

“Viktor. _Please_. I need you. Jeff needs you. Julita, everyone, _please_. Don’t give those fuckers the satisfaction.”

Viktor watches them for a few moments. Then closes his broken eyes, lowers his feet on the floor. Sighs. “Take the knife away, please.”

They move together, Jeff and Henry. Jeff takes the switchblade carefully (his hands don’t shake), closes it and pockets it, then rolls down Viktor’s sleeve. While Henry pulls Viktor’s head to their chest, murmuring something.

Viktor’s arms wraps around them both, pulling them close — and Jeff feels that tension inside him, around him—breaking. He tries not to sniffle, throwing an arm over Viktor’s shoulder.

He’s scared, too.

The two of them escort Viktor to one of the apartments on the upper level — his, where he might feel a bit safer. Henry orders Jeff to get out of the room when Viktor starts undressing, but Henry themself stays.

Jeff nearly slides down the wall. He can’t say how long he remains like this, stroking the heavy sleek form of the switchblade in his pocket — but Henry’s sudden appearance shakes him out of it.

Especially when Henry pushes him to the wall and hisses, “You won’t tell _anyone_ about it. Not a fucking peep. If you even _think_ about telling, I will murder you, _slowly_.”

He swallows. _“They’ll put you under watch.”_ “I won’t, Henry, I promise. I won’t do it to him.”

Henry sighs, sags, their cheek pressing to Jeff’s. Wet.

Jeff wraps them in his arms.

“I’ll stay for the night,” Henry says after a few moments, their breathing hot. “The office...”

“I’ll clean up. Don’t worry. I’ll come here in the morning.” He tightens the embrace briefly. “We’ll help him together. You don’t have to do it alone anymore.”

“Thank you. Now go.”


End file.
